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This past year has been a difficult one for me. I experienced a number of life altering experiences that will forever been ingrained in my mind. Some have been good - but quite a few not so good.

Oprah Winfrey is quoted as saying “Turn your wounds into wisdom” . So with that in mind, here is some of the wisdom I hope I take with me as I move forward.

#1: Never Take Your Health For Granted

I have been quite fortunate in that my health has been pretty good. But the past couple of years I've had a couple of significant challenges. As a result, I realized something.

Our health is not guaranteed.

As we now plan for our future, and our retirement, we realized that our health can change in a second. As much as we may plan for physical activities or to travel – we now also realize that this can be altered in a moment’s notice.

But it also helped to identify that we need to make sure that we focus on our health and not take it for granted. We need to do everything that we can do to help maintain and nurture it.

So this year’s standard resolution to eat healthy and stay physically active comes with the realization that we can’t take our health for granted and it’s up to us to try and manage and maintain it as long as we possibly can.

We have also shifted our approach to our retirement plan. We now plan to front load our retirement with any activities that require us to be physically healthy. As much as we can’t take our health for granted, we also recognize that it will naturally decline over time so best to put these things at the beginning so that we have the memories for later rather than regrets.

#2: Focus on the big rocks in your life

Sadly, we also lost a very dear friend this past year.

What this taught me is that if there is something that you want to do or something you want to say to someone, don’t wait.

I personally don't like the saying “life is short” but when something like this happens, it reminds you that it really is.

This loss also reminded me of a story I heard many years ago about the importance of our life’s priorities and to make sure that we give them the necessary attention so that we don’t miss doing the things that are important.

The following video does an excellent job of explaining the concept;

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So be sure to fill your life with the big rocks first.

#3: Celebrate and appreciate the angels that walk amongst us

If nothing else, I have learned this past year that there truly are angels that walk amongst us.

Just when you think you are struggling and all alone, friends and even complete strangers made a point of ensuring that we received the care and support that we needed. Whether it was lending a hand, making sure we were being taken care of or just dropping by to make sure that we were okay, this all made a difference.

Sometimes I think we only focus on the negative side of humanity. It’s when you take the time to stop and think about all those that take the time to help someone else you recognize how this can truly have an impact on the lives of the people around us.

So if you happen to see an angel, be sure to thank them. Criticism can come easy, but our gratitude is what we really should be offering.

I just hope that I can learn from this and also be an angel to someone else.

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Susan Williams is the visionary founder of Booming Encore. With over 28 years of experience in corporate senior leadership and executive roles, she realized there was a significant gap in resources for those seeking a purposeful and healthy later life. Driven by her passion to make a difference, she decided that if she couldn't find it, she would create it and launched Booming Encore in 2013.

Since then, the Booming Encore has organically grown into a globally recognized authority on retirement, aging, and longevity. Susan’s commitment to empowering individuals is further reflected in her co-authorship of Retirement Heaven or Hell: Which Will You Choose? and her contributions to Longevity Lifestyle by Design.

An engaging speaker and advocate, Susan passionately shares the importance of all the aspects that can help people positively live, embrace and contribute in their later years. Today, she’s not just helping others create their own “booming encore”—she is actually living hers. Join her on this inspiring journey and also live your best booming encore!

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Founder, Booming Encore

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